"Mac & Cheese" Contest at Tortilla Press Cantina

f you think macaroni and cheese only comes from a box, some local South Jersey chefs have a surprise for you… As part of their upcoming January promotion “Home-Style Classics,” in which they showcase their restaurant’s version of favorite family dishes, the chefs will kick off with a grand Macaroni and Cheese contest to vie for the best and creamiest.

The “Mighty Mac” contest takes place Monday, January 18, 6:30pm, at Tortilla Press Cantina, 7716 Maple Avenue, Pennsauken, NJ. The cost is $10.00/adult and $4.00/child for children under 12. The price includes all the mac and cheese you can eat. “We have so many chefs jumping on the bandwagon to be part of this, that the public is going to get some very creative versions of Mac and cheese,” says Tortilla Press Cantina owner Chef Mark Smith. Chef Smith has more than a dozen restaurants signed up and more asking to be included. “At some point we’ll have a cut off just for space considerations,” he explains. “But we want to keep it open for as long as we can. The public deserves to see what independent restaurants can do to make even mac and cheese a creative meal.”

Judges will be available from the Food Bank of South Jersey, which is a charitable recipient of the event. But the dining public will also be asked to give their opinion. “We’ll have judge’s picks and popular picks,” notes Chef Smith. “Among the categories are ‘Best All-Around,’ ‘Most Like Mom’s,’ and ‘Most creative.’”

“People forget how healthy good mac and cheese can be,” explains Chef Jim Malaby of blueplate in Mullica Hill. “Forget the boxed version…we’re talking real milk and real cheese. The nutritional value is incredible and it’s very, very economical.” Each participating restaurant will do their own special version of mac and cheese, adding regional touches that create, in Chef Malaby’s words, “a spectacular panorama of tastes for this very simple home-style classic.”

The chefs will use the event to highlight how to feed families with meals that are high in nutrition and low on cost, making their alliance with the Food Bank of South Jersey an important one. “We’re all independent restaurants ourselves,” explains Chef Joe Palombo of Mirabella Café “and we know what it means to struggle. If we can give back to the community through fundraising and education, it’s our responsibility and privilege to do so.”

If you are interested in attending this event please contact Tortilla Press Cantina at 856-356-2050.